Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-08-11

confidential secretaries, and business
men are commingled with ruffians
recruited from the lowest dens of vice
and the shadiest resorts in the whole
British empire. The spectacle at 7
A. M. when the prison doors are thrown
open and the vast throng proceeds to
work, is one that when once seen will
ever be remembered. The prisoners
are marched out in detachments, four
abreast and shackled by the wrist to
each other while guards parade at
the side and keep a watchful eye over
their every movement. Each de-
tachment proceeds to the destination
where it is to be employed and there
the handouts are removed SO
as to permit a freedom of move
ment. 1t matters not whether
| the weather is wet or dry they
are always kept at work and they
present very grotesque appearance
in their brown prison suits stamped IN
several places with the broad arrow,
the distinctive mark of the Govern
ment's lien. Those who work faith.
fully and well may secure number OF
good marks each day, and on Friday
of each week these marks are totalled
up and the results apportioned: In
addition to a good record being placed
to the credit list of the prisoner as re-
CARDS the curtailment of his confine-
ment, each man can also by diligence
and good behavior, earn few cents
per week. And with the exception OF
purchasing alcoholic liquor, he may
dispose of this sum as he deems fit: 1t
is usually expended for tobacco, milk,
fruit, sometimes confectionery in
fact, each mans peculiar requirements
can be gratified with these monies and
i this boon /, rms a pleasant break
in the monotony of prison fare. A
sluggard, or refractory inmate receives
of course nothing, but it has been
found that under this bounty system,
those who at first prove entirely oostl-
nate will gradually succumb to the
cravings of their own nature Tor some
little thing they need, especially ii the
subject in question be addicted to the
use of the fragrant weed. A prisoner
obtaining the full complement of good
marks is entitled to a ticket of leave
| for three months out Of every year for
which he has been sentenced, except
of course in the cases of life imprison-
ment and those held at the Queens
pleasure.
Ell PAso's PRISON.
While on the subject of prisons
the writer is reminded of the ex-
cellence of the county Jail at
Ell Paso, Texas, as regards
the strength of the building and the
utter impossibilty of anyone escaping
therefrom. The interior, containing
the cells, is circular and is made of
solid iron. By mechanical arrange
ment the walls are continually revolv-
ing so that any efforts on the part of
the inmates to tamper with
the walls as a means OF escape
would prove useless as the surface
presented to them is continually
changing. The cell in which desper-
ate cases are confined contains an ad-
ditional iron cage just large enough to
hold a man, into which the prisoner
who is wanted, is made to step and
he can then be handcuffed or what
ever is necessary can be done to him
without any fears of an attack.
McCoRD ENDORSED.
In conclusion the statement
! made by Warden McCord be-
fore the prison investigation COM
mittee at Folsom, to the effect that
he considers solitary confinement the
most humane method of furnishing a
refractory prisoner, comedies entirely
with the system in vogue in Europe
and when whining appeal is made,
as in Hunts case, that prisoner has
been badly treated by being kept in
solitary confinement for nineteen
months the fact must not be over
looked that the class of men who are
to be found inhabiting cells within a
PRISONS walls require to be strictly
disciplined in order to keep the prison
in that state of law and order neces-
sary for the satisfactory upholding of
the regime.